2010-2017: New chapter begins

KIGALI - Today, Monday September 6, 2010, will be a memorable day, a story with a happy ending for Rwandans and friends of Rwanda alike. This is the day when the country ushers in a new chapter, with the inauguration of President Paul Kagame, for a second seven-year term. African leaders and heads of various continental and global organizations will join over 100,000 Rwandans, within and outside Amahoro National Stadium, to witness the historic inauguration. “Apart from the main festivities in the national stadium during the day, in the evening there will be a party at Hotel Serena for all invited VIP guests who will be around by then, as well as Rwandans and friends of Rwanda,” Ignatius Kabagambe, the Director General in the Ministry of Information, said on Sunday. He revealed that the greater part of the 16 expected African Heads of State had arrived by yesterday evening. With very few, or one, expected this morning ahead of the grand occasion, African Presidents who jetted in yesterday include Presidents Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Idriss Déby Itno of Chad, Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan and Rupiah Banda of Zambia. Presidents Francois Bozize of the Central African Republic (CAR), Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe and Benin’s Yayi Boni arrived earlier on Saturday. Others who were expected last night included Liberian President Sirleaf Johnson. Ugandan Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi, Tanzanian Premier, Mizengo Pinda and Justin Koumba the Speaker of Parliament of Congo-Brazzaville represented their respective Heads of State. Other high-profile delegates already here include Former Zambian leader and African statesman Kenneth Kaunda, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, and the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Abdirahin Abdi. Ultra-modern gigantic screens have been put up outside the stadium for people to follow the proceedings which will also be streamed live on-line on www.orinfor.gov.rw and broadcast on Rwanda Television and Radio. Countrywide, Rwandans will gather at village level where grassroots celebrations have been organized. On August 9, Kagame won a landslide victory – with 93 per cent votes – in Rwanda’s second presidential election since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Upon his re-election, Kagame received numerous congratulatory messages from Heads of State and organizations, citing his steadfast and visionary leadership as a model for other nations especially those in Africa. Ends